JLC3DP Blog

Plastics

Why MJF Nylon Parts Feel Weak: Strength vs Stiffness vs Finish

If MJF nylon parts feel weaker than expected, it’s usually not because “MJF isn’t strong.” It’s because strength, stiffness, and surface finish are being lumped together as one vague idea of quality. They’re not the same thing. A part can be stiff but brittle. Strong but visually rough. Smooth but mechanically average. Understanding how these properties actually behave in Multi Jet Fusion, and how different nylon grades shift the balance, is the difference between parts that just look good and parts t......

Dec 30, 2025

Plastics

PA12 vs PA12s 3D Printing Comparison: The Truth!

PA12 and PA12S are basically the two standard nylons you’re going to run into most, particularly in Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). At first glance, they may appear interchangeable because both are engineering-grade nylon 12 powders, both deliver strong mechanical performance, and both are common choices for functional parts. In practice, however, their behavior differs in ways that matter to engineers. Comparing PA12 vs PA12S is not about asking which is “better” or “worse......

Dec 29, 2025

Plastics

MJF Tolerances & Dimensional Accuracy: What Engineers Expect

Warped edges, misaligned holes, and functional misfits are often caused by variations in MJF tolerances rather than random printing errors. If you’re printing with HP Multi Jet Fusion and running into tolerance or dimensional issues, it’s rarely “bad luck.” It’s almost always something happening inside the MJF process itself. MJF is known for repeatability, but tolerances don’t “take care of themselves.” Shrinkage, thermal gradients, part orientation, and feature design quietly stack the odds for—or a......

Dec 28, 2025

Software & Tools

Understanding the Key 3D Printing File Formats

Understanding the various 3D printing file formats is crucial for achieving optimal results. Different file formats serve different purposes, each offering unique advantages depending on the complexity and requirements of the project. This article will introduce and compare the most common 3D printing file types. 1. STL (Standard Tessellation Language) File structure: STL files use triangular meshes to represent the surface of 3D objects. Each triangle is described by its three vertices, which are exp......

Sep 18, 2024

Plastics

Glass-Filled Nylon 3D Printing: Master It in 2 Minutes

What Is Glass-Filled Nylon? Glass-filled nylon is basically a nylon base reinforced with chopped glass fibers, and that addition completely changes how the material handles a real-world load. In the shop, that reinforcement is what stands between a part that slowly creeps, flexes, or warps, and one that actually holds its shape and tolerances over time. It’s the reason you see it used so often for structural brackets, housings, and fixtures, basically anything that has to survive constant heat, vibrat......

Dec 27, 2025

Plastics

What Is Nylon Material? Stop Guessing Types and Applications

3D Printing Nylon: Challenges, Solutions, and Applications Printing Challenges with Nylon When it comes to 3D printing, everyone mentions PLA or ABS, but what is nylon? This high-performance engineering polymer excels where standard plastics fail. However, printing with nylon comes with challenges. The biggest issue is that nylon is extremely hygroscopic. It absorbs moisture directly from the air as soon as it’s exposed. If you try printing with wet filament, the results can be disastrous: 1. Bubbles ......

Dec 17, 2025